In various urban areas, legislation has been passed requiring dog owners to clean up the solid waste that their pets deposit on public sidewalks, grass and curbs. Failure to remove the deposited waste subjects the owner to a fine.
Various devices have been proposed to facilitate the removal of the waste, and these devices have ranged from a simple short handled scoop or shovel to a more complicated device wherein a scoop and closure are operatively connected to the lower end of a long handle or shaft and manipulated between an open and closed position.
The latter type of device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,868,135, dated Feb. 25, 1975, wherein a receptacle is mounted on the lower end of an elongated handle, and a closure is pivotally connected to the receptacle. A cable for moving the closure relative to the receptacle has one end connected to the closure and extends upwardly through the elongated handle. The upper end of the cable is provided with a knob which is grasped by the dog walker, whereby the cable can be pulled upwardly to open the closure and then pushed downwardly to move the closure to the closed position relative to the receptacle.
While the device disclosed in the above-mentioned patent is satisfactory for its intended purpose, there are some inherent disadvantages in its construction. For instance, the portion of the closure operating cable connected to the closure extends outwardly from the lower end of the elongated handle, whereby that portion of the cable is exposed to the ground and can become soiled. Furthermore, the long cable provides a somewhat flexible connection between the operating handle and closure, whereby a positive actuation of the closure becomes difficult after continued use.